2004 V11N2 SPRING.pub (Lecture.seule)the erection of the first bridge in 1913. Seven children were...

VOLUME 11 - NUMBER 2 SPRING 2004

THE FRIGONS

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE FRIGON, FRIGONE, FREGO, FREGOE, FREGON, FREGONE FAMILIES French Quarterly Newsletter: ISSN 1703-4167

Bilingual Quarterly Newsletter: ISSN 1703-4140

TO BETTER KNOW ONE ANOTHER Véronique Frigon at the World Social Forum of Porto Alegre

I - Our cousin

Pierre Frigon (4)

CONTENTS

William Frigon, and his times I ........................................ 137 A word from the President ................................................. 137 Board of Directors of the Association ................................ 137 The team of the Quarterly Newsletter ................................ 137 Our Heroes of the First World War, IV - Our cousins honoured for their military service ....... 139 Annual General Meeting 2004 ........................................... 141 Genealogical Research in Illinois, CDs Available. ............ 142 The Garden of Marie-Claude and François - Our descendants ................................................................. 143 Family History Sharing ...................................................... 144 Family News ...................................................................... 144

seems to have brought them more happiness than we see today in our consumer society. Today, the state,

(Continued on page 140)

WILLIAM FRIGON, AND HIS TIMES I

François Frigon (130)

The principal purpose of this document is not to present our ancestors and parents as heroes or as

superior to others. Rather, it is (intended) to give our children and grandchildren information that will permit them to know their ancestors and parents in the context of the conditions of life and tribulations they had to surmount in order to live in a very individualistic society, where each one had to take his responsibilities without having recourse to the state (government). I believe that such a situation was very salutary for those who had initiative, who knew how to help one another and who did not spare themselves. Even if this way of life was harsh, it gave them the satisfaction of having accomplished something and

At the end of March 1995, I received some biographical notes on William Frigon from my cousin Henri Frigon of Shawinigan.

I have happy memories of Henri Frigon and his wife

coming to visit my father (Gérard) in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan. My father often talked about his

Shawinigan cousins as if they were big brothers with generous hearts. In fact, in order to “make ends meet”,

my father and his brothers (Joseph and Benoît) would go to the market in Shawinigan to sell the produce of the farm. Henri’s father or his grandfather were always

there to lodge and feed them. Yes, the Frigons help one another without expecting money in return. My father was eternally grateful to them.

Do not forget our parents, our grandparents, and our

ancestors. They “slaved away” for us. It is thanks to them that we received a good education and have good jobs. I appeal to all the Frigons. Write articles about your parents and grandparents right away. Don’t put it

off till later. Our thanks to Henri Frigon for having left us these wonderful memories.

Here is the first part of this fascinating story.

PREFACE

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

Gérald Frigon (116)

A short time ago, an inspirational message from Ivanhoë III (80) called for a return to the basics in our lives. As far as I am concerned, these are health, friendship, family ties, and the important milestones of our existence.

Who among us does not keep all kinds of small objects as souvenirs of happy moments (and sometimes of less happy ones), of family memories and of the

important stages in one’s life? The world we live in is

constantly changing;

nevertheless, many people remain attached to these things, as if in this way they could stop the clock. The memory of our ancestors, of our roots, is also a part of those ties that we cannot forget. We, the Frigons, have not completely left Batiscan; a part of ourselves has stayed there and will always remain there, bound by the subtle and powerful knowledge that our ancestors toiled there to build our country. Regardless of where we live, today we have a feeling of connectedness with Batiscan, an emotion that cannot be forwarded to another address on moving day.

138

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIGON FAMILIES INC. (2003 - 2004) Secretariat of the Association: 84, 570e avenue, Saint-Hippolyte, QC J8A 3L2

(450) 563-1383 [email protected] Our Web site: http://www.genealogie.org/famille/frigon/english/index.html

Executive council President and treasurer: Gérald Frigon, Laval, QC [email protected] Founding-President: Raymond Frigon, Ottawa, ON [email protected] Vice-President: Jean-René Frigon (11), Trois-Rivières-Ouest., QC [email protected] Secretary: Pierre Frigon, Saint-Hippolyte, QC [email protected] Treasurer: René Frigon (75), Trois-Rivières, QC [email protected]

Directors: Claudette Chevrette-Naud (126), Brigham, QC [email protected] Claudette Frigon Giesinger (89), Longueuil, QC [email protected] Cyrille Frigon (180), Louiseville, QC - Ivanhoë III Frigon (80), Rock Forest, QC [email protected] Léonce Frigon (218), Laval, QC - Louise Frigon (83), Ste-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Qc [email protected] Nicole Frigon (191), Montréal, QC - Raymonde Frigon (96), St-Jérôme, QC [email protected] Roger Frigon (131), Rimouski, QC [email protected]

In charge of the Committees English Publications: Claudette Chevrette-Naud (126), Brigham, QC [email protected] Frigon - Chamois Park Project: Ivanhoë III Frigon (80), Rock Forest, QC [email protected] Frigon History and Genealogy book: Gérald Frigon, Laval, QC [email protected] Genealogical Archives: Georges E. Frigon (93), Trois-Rivières, QC [email protected] THE FRIGONS Newsletter: Jean-René Frigon (11), Trois-Rivières-Ouest, QC [email protected]

In charge of the Newsletter and composition

• Jean-René Frigon (11) [email protected]

Mailing

• Cécile Brunelle (181) [email protected] • Pierre Frigon (4) [email protected]

Edition and revision of the French texts

• Cécile Brunelle (181) [email protected] • Pierre Frigon (4) [email protected]

• Guy Naud [email protected] Revision: authors of manuscripts are free to accept or reject the correc-

tions, remarks or suggestions proposed to them by the revisers.

Edition, translation and revision of the English texts

• Mary Frego Coates (139) [email protected] • Nicole Frigon (191) -

• Prudence Frigon (212) [email protected] • Raymond Frigon (1) [email protected]

• Claudette Chevrette-Naud (126) [email protected] • Guy Naud [email protected]

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER The team

Legal deposit - 2nd Quarter 2004 Bibliothèque National du Québec

Legal deposit - 2nd Quarter 2004 National Library of Canada

139 OUR HEROES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR (1914-1918)

IV Our cousins honoured for their military service

Georges E. Frigon (93)

Recipients of Military Medals

Télesphore Frigon Francis Leney Fregon Roy Alexander Fregon

Though we do not have detailed information about their service status, the description of their medals gives an indication of their participation in the Great War. Star of 1914-1915

The Star of 1914-1915 was awarded to all who saw service in any theatre of war against the central powers, between 05 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 except those eligible for the 1914 Star. Canada considered 'overseas' to be service

beyond the three-mile limit and hence many RCN small ships were entitled to this star.

Victory Medal (Inter-Allied War Medal)

T h e me d a l w a s awarded to all ranks of the fighting f o r c e s , t o c i v i l i a n s

under contract, and others employed with military hospitals that actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war between 05 August 1914 and 11 Nove mbe r 1918 (inclusive). It was

also awarded to members of the British Naval mission to Russia 1919 - 1920 and for mine clearance in the North Sea between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919. British War Medal

The medal was awarded to all ranks of Canadian and Australian overseas military forces deployed between 05 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, or who had served in a theatre of war. Those

who had enlisted in the O.M.F.C. in the United Kingdom and had not served in a theatre of war were not eligible for this medal. The requirements for RAF personnel were the same as for the army. Naval personnel were required to have 28 days of mobilized service or to have lost their lives before this period of service was complete.

Seamen of the Canadian Merchant Marine who

served at sea not less than six months, and

crews of Dominion G o v e r n m e n t

Ships and the C a n a d i a n M e r c a n t i l e Marine were also eligible.

Sources : Veterans Affairs Canada: www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general National Archives of Canada: www.archives.ca Armed Services Assitance Center of Australia: www.asacaustralia.com/mint2.htm#medals Archives of Radio-Canada: www.radio-canada.ca

GENEALOGICAL SKETCH

François Frigon and Marie-Claude Chamois

Jean-François Frigon and Gertrude Perrot

Antoine Pierre Frigon and M.-Anne Trottier

Pierre-Antoine Frigon and Josephte Massicot

Olivier Frigon and Josephte Trottier

Olivier and Virginie Vézina

Joseph Frigon and Magdeleine Lefebvre

Joseph Frigon and Josephte Savoie

Jean Frigon /John Fregon and Elizabeth McCoy

Francis Leney Fregon John J. Francis Fregon and Augustina Hoppner

Roy Alexander Fregon

GEF (93)

Télesphore Frigon

140

with its excessive generosity, seems to encourage social parasites to be dependent on it in order to live and to amuse themselves, much to the joy of the civil servants that are part of these administrative welfare states and have everything to gain when the number of parasites increases, and this to the detriment of society in general. These conditions destroy all the ancestral principles of family unity, the satisfaction of a job well done, as well as the respect of others; all while applying the principle of not doing to others that which one does not want others to do to oneself.

Son of Alphée Frigon and Délima Pronovost.

Born March 7, 1879 on a farm situated at Rivière-à-Veillet, about 3 miles north of the village of Saint-Genevieve-de-Batiscan. Like so many other young people at that time, he hardly went to school and helped on the farm. Arrived in Shawinigan without an education with his young brother Georges (who later emigrated to Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.A. with his sister Amanda, the wife of Alfred Vézina.) Worked at the construction of the junction linking Shawinigan to the Grand Nord railroad line starting from a place called the “Why”, situated north of Glenada and about 4 miles from Shawinigan. As accommodations for room and board were very limited, they lived in tents. Married Alida Veilleux, the daughter of Captain Joseph Veilleux, owner of the village hotel in Almaville and the ferry Marie-Louise, which shuttled between Shawinigan and Almaville (Shawinigan South) from 1898 until the erection of the first bridge in 1913. Seven children were born from this marriage, 4 girls and 3 boys. (See the genealogical sketch.) After their wedding, our parents boarded with Joseph Leblanc, the husband of Annette Frigon, our father’s sister, in the second-to-the-last house on the corner of 4th Street and Station

(Continued from page 137)


Avenue. In the wake of a fire that involved a difficult rescue, our mother had a miscarriage, thus losing her first child. Then our parents lived with our father’s sister Marie-Anne, the wife of Napoléon Trudel. Then they resided in the “little” house where Madeleine, Henri, Omer and Léo were born. The latter was born prematurely on January 14, 1923, weighing less than 3 pounds. Thanks to our mother and Nurse Bolduc (the mother of architect Bolduc), who used the oven of the wood stove in the kitchen as an incubator, the child was saved and eventually became the biggest and the tallest of the family. After their marriage, our mother, who had a limited education, taught our father how to read, write and count, for he could barely sign his name. Worked on the construction of the Belgo paper mill from 1902 to 1929, first as an apprentice, then as a carpenter, and finally as foreman for the construction and maintenance of the mill. Finished at the Belgo after 27 years of service because of the economic crisis of the time. Began to work for the city of Shawinigan on April 18, 1932, as a foreman for the construction of Saint-Maurice Boulevard at a salary of $24.00 a week under the management of Mr. Donatien Dumoulin, the Superintendent of Public Works. As this took place during the Depression, our father was paid cash while

the “unemployed” who worked under him received “pitons” or coupons that they exchanged for groceries or clothing in the local shops.

(Continued on page 141)

GENEALOGICAL SKETCH (William Frigon)

François and Marie-Claude Chamois

| Jean-François and Gertrude Perrot

| Antoine Pierre and Marie-Anne Trottier

| Augustin and Marie Lefebvre

| Abraham and Josephte Dontigny

| Hubert and Sophie Cloutier

| Alphée and Délima Pronovost

| William and Alida Veilleux

| - Madeleine - Henri - Omer - Léo - Monique - Gisèle - Rolande

House of Alphé Frigon build in 1899 on 3rd street in Shawinigan

WILLIAM FRIGON

141

After the construction of the Boulevard, our father was hired to repair the Côte de la Baie Shawinigan, always with the “unemployed” and the system of “pitons”. After having been assigned to different jobs in the “unemployment projects”, our father went on to general maintenance, road works and construction for the city of Shawinigan as foreman under the orders of M. Dumoulin. When the latter retired because of ill health, our father replaced him and bore the same title: Superintendent. As a two-passenger car went with this position, our father had to resort to having a chauffeur, which was not very practical. Therefore, at 63 years of age, our father learned to drive; this took a lot of perseverance. Retired on June 23, 1945, at the age of 63, with a salary of $95,61 for two weeks (15 days). A few years after his retirement, he (finally) received a pension of $45.00 a month. After his retirement from the “city”, our father, still felt able to work. A local contractor by the name of Henri Dupont hired him to take charge of the construction of a bridge near Ste-Ursule. At his age, this work with strangers was laborious. He would spend weekends at home, then return to the site on Sunday evening. These departures for a whole week seemed painful for our parents who had practically never been separated for such long periods, except when our mother was hospitalized for about two months in a Quebec hospital in 1914-15.



During his retirement, our father busied himself with the maintenance of his houses and liked to make himself useful by helping us to make small furniture, etc. in the basement, without mechanical tools. He was always happy to have accomplished something. One day when he was 72, our mother spotted him on the roof of the “little house”, getting ready to do some repairs, a job that he was never able to do, thanks to my mother’s firm orders: ‘Tillam” (pronounced Tee-yahm), “come down right now.” Our father’s favourite sport was fishing and moose hunting at Caribou Lake situated a few miles south of LaTuque. The trip began on the Canadian National train as far as the Lac Brochet station, on to the Nobert family home, and from there, by portaging through five miles of forest. After his retirement from the city, he fished on the St-Maurice River and on neighbouring lakes, as well as on La Pêche Lake, with a fellow named Pinard, a traveling salesman. This is how he filled his free time. When he was younger, fishing for pike on the wall facing Saint Maurice Park using a troll was popular, especially on Sunday morning. I remember seeing him return with pikes 36 inches long that he would put into a vat of water to show the family. It is possible that smoking kills, and if that is true our father was an exception, for he smoked a pipe and cigars all his life except in his last years when he was forced to reduce his smoking because of asthma and bronchitis which also forced him to stay indoors when the weather was bad. In the next newsletter, more on the life of William Frigon and his family.

This year the General Meeting will take place in Gatineau, in the Outaouais region. The event will be held at the Tétreau Community Center, on Saturday, August 21, 2004.

There will be more information available in the spring.

Contact person : Pierre Frigon, Association secretary. [email protected] Tétreau Community Center,

361, boul. de Lucerne, Gatineau, J9A 2S3.

Secteur Hull

142

Leslie (Les) Arseneau (9) has been a member of the Association of Frigon Families since its founding. He resides in Fontain Valley, California. His spouse, Louana Carol Saindon is a descendent of Olivier-Pierre Frigon and Judith Banhiac Lamontagne, of Louiseville, Quebec. They have three children: Bruce, Timothy and Ramona. Leslie and Louana are natives of Beaverville, Illinois, USA. Les is an avid genealogist and belongs to several genealogical societies. The Association is indebted to him for sharing the results of his research on the Frigons who immigrated to the United States of America in the 1800s. Several Frigons went to Illinois, to the towns of Beaverville and Papineau. Leslie did a considerable amount of research in the records of Saint Mary and Saint Joseph parishes. These registers were written in Latin, French and English. Leslie digitized all the documents, which were then translated and recorded on compact disks. These are now available in both French and English: complete from 1859 to 1920.

Registers of Saint Mary’s

(Continued page 143)

GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN ILLINOIS,

CDs Available.

Georges E. Frigon (93)

Example of an inscription in Latin from the Baptismal Records of Saint Mary’s parish.

GENEALOGICAL SKETCH (Louana Carol Saindon)

François Frigon and Marie-Claude Chamois

| Jean-François Frigon and Gertrude Perrot

| Paul Frigon and Ursule Lefebvre

| Olivier Pierre Frigon and Judith Banhiac Lamontagne

| Olivier Toussaint Frigon and Madeleine Lupien

| Marie-Éléonore Frigon and Louis Arseneau

| E. Phénilise Arseneau and Léoplod J. Saindon

| Philip Oza Saindon and Hélène M. Régnier

| L. John Saindon and Lucille Régnier

| Louana Saindon and Leslie (Les) Arseneau

3 janvier 2004, GEF (93)

Example of an English transcript from the Marriage

and Baptism Records of St. Mary’s parish,

Beaverville

(page 187) Feb 24 1873

Simon Frigon 20 yr old

son of Joseph Frigon

& Celde Bergeron and Celanise Dionne

daughter of Cyprien Dionne

& Angelle ________(?)

Present: Names are too faded to read.

Example of an inscription in French from the Death Registers of Saint-Mary’s parish, Beaverville.

143 THE GARDEN OF MARIE-CLAUDE AND FRANÇOIS

———————– Our descendants ———————–

St-Mary’s Chruch in Beaverville

Eva Luna Frigon

Born on December 29, 2002. Daughter of Stéphane Frigon

and Penelope Smith.

Eva Luna is linked to the Frigon family

through her father Stéphane, son of Robert Frigon (152).

Élia Otani Frigon, born on April 26, 1998.

Cami Otani Frigon, born on October 29, 1999.

Milane Otani Frigon, born on May 12, 2002.

Élia, Cami,

Milane, are the three daughters

of François Frigon and Aki Otani.

They are linked

to the Frigon family through their father

François (25), son of Pierre Frigon (04).

GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN ILLINOIS

Catholic Church, Beaverville, Illinois 1859-1920 and Saint-Joseph’s Catholic Church, Papineau, Illinois

1) $50 US for the digitized photos of the registers, the transcriptions and the complete translations.

2) $40 US for the complete set of translations of the registers of 1859-1920, without the digitized photos.

3) $20 US for the digitized photos and translations of the registers of 1859 to 1882.

Mr. Les Arseneau 16637 Mt. Michaelis Circle Fontain Valley, CA 92708

[email protected]


Gabrielle Frigon Born on January 22, 2000. Daughter of Alain Frigon and Anabel Giraud. Gabrielle is linked to the Frigon family through her father Alain, son of Robert Frigon (152).

FAMILY NEWS Georges E. Frigon (93)

Sincere condolences to our members, cousins and families who have lost a loved one OUR DEARLY DEPARTED

144 FAMILY HISTORY SHARING

Georges Frigon (93)

Rebecca Jansen, spouse of Ronald Frego, and resident of Stacy, Minnesota, U.S.A. turned to

the Association for help in finding the ancestral line of the Minnesota Fregos.

For years, these Fregos were considered as Fregeau descendants. As a result of much research, they learned that they were descendants

of Godfroid Frigon, a native of Maskinongé, Quebec.

Godfroid had become Godfrey Frego after his arrival in Minnesota. Rebecca sent us a list of Godfroid’s descendants, as well as his baptismal certificate.

Thus we were able to trace the ascending line of the Fregos all the way to François and Marie-Claude.

In a future issue of the newsletter we will tell you more about this Frigon who became a Frego.

Requests for ancestral lines and information

can be sent to:

Georges E. Frigon, 165, Bélanger,

Trois-Rivières Ouest, QC G9B 1Y4 Telephone: (819) 377-7918

E-mail: [email protected]

The Frego Family of Minnesota

MEMBERSHIP

February 26, 2004

Canada: 134 USA: 28 Australia: 3 Total : 165 PF(04)

Edith Klaiber, passed away in Greenfield, Maine, USA on October 22, 2003 . She was the wife of Clarence A. Frigon.

David Ayotte, son of Gaétan Ayotte and Pierrette Frigon, died December 23, 2003 in Ste-Marthe-du-Cap, QC.

Raoul Frigon, husband of Gabrielle Désilets, died December 25, 2003 in Verdun, QC.

André Boisvert, from Joliette, QC, son of Simone Frigon and father of Hugues and Antoine, died February 17, 2004.

Catherine Frigon Jean-Louis Frigon

Mélanie Frigon

Our Association researchers

are calling upon the members

for assistance in linking these

cousins whose pictures were

published either in a

newspaper or on a Web site

Help needed

2004 V11N2 SPRING.pub (Lecture.seule)the erection of the first bridge in 1913. Seven children were...

Documents

Transcript of 2004 V11N2 SPRING.pub (Lecture.seule)the erection of the first bridge in 1913. Seven children were...